Parent Teacher Conferences

I have those today.  Thing One is in 3rd grade, Thing Two in kindergarten.  Usually, I go in expecting good things.     I am not hopeful today.  Thing 1 has had a sub for the last few weeks-his absolutely wonderful teacher had a baby on Halloween.  Of course, the kids wanted to know if this meant Baby N could become a vampire-gotta love kid logic, eh?  Anyway, he has a sub as a result.  I'm not thrilled with Sub.  Sub believes in peer punishment.  One kid acts up, the class pays.  This does not work with Thing 1.  He is a good student-he's very well behaved and hasn't gotten in trouble yet.  He has one episode per school year where he does something stupid that results in a note home.  Truthfully, it's stupid stuff.  He doesn't hurt anyone, he doesn't break anything.  He just does something stupid.  He hasn't been stupid so far this year.  So, being made to write papers on how he'll change his behavior and losing recess really ticks Thing One off.  Thing One has warned me that I may get a note when I go to the PT conference-this would be one the entire class had to write to their parents about their misbehaving.  He is unhappy, and I'm sorry but I tend to believe my kid when he's telling me he's innocent in all of this.  His absolutely wonderful teacher had nothing but good things to say when I've talked to her; she even called me at home to tell me how wonderful he is in class!


The second issue with the Sub is seating arrangements.  Mrs. Wonderful Teacher has a reward system.  Part of that is being able to using the tickets they earn to 'buy' things like picking a new place to sit.  Thing One can't stand the child he sits next to.  This child won't keep his hands out of Thing One's desk, and he tries to cheat off of his tests and classwork.  Thing One had been saving his tickets to buy the opportunity to read to Thing Two in his classroom.  He decided to spend some tickets to move away from that kid.  Sub won't let him until the classroom behavior improves.  Um, what?

I hate confrontation.  But, I'm going to be forced to go in there and stand up for my kid because Sub insists on punishing the entire class for the behavior of a few.

Wish me luck.